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Oct. 17, 1933. T w TORR 1,930,700

PILOT Filed Oct. 2, 1951 INVENTOR Patented a. 17, 1933 'rr'Lo'r g Thomas W. Torr, Dowagiac; Mich; a ssignor to Rudy Furnace Company Dowa giac, Mich. Application October 2, Serial No. 566,388

- 4 Claims. (01. ace-13st Themain object ofiny invention is to provide a pilotburner having improved structural and operatingcharacteristics. 7 Another object of-my invention is to provide a pilot burner having means associated therewith for shutting off the supply of gas to the main .burner upon the pilot flame becoming extinguished. w V I A-s'till further object is to provide means. in a device of this character for permitting a heat responsive element to continue to respond after the'switch controlling the gas supply valvexhas been 'actuated'thereby. M F Objects relatingto details and economies of my invention will appear from, the description to follow.. The invention is'defined' and pointed out in the claims.

A structure which is a preferred embodiment h v of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in whichi V Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a pilot burner assembly, embodying the desirable features of my invention. k Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detailof the pilot burner and the heat responsive element.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the switch mounting panel, and a Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, numeral 1 indicates the main burnerwhich is supplied with gas by the conduit 2 having an electrically operated cut-off valve 3 associated therewith for shutting off the supply of gas to the main burner 1. The conduit 2 .is provided with a manually operated valve (not shown) disposed in advance of the burner 1'. The pilot burner 4 is connected to the gas supply in advance of the cut-off valve 3 by meansof the conduit 5. The inner end 6 of the pilot burner 4 is closed and the outer end 'lis enlarged and is provided with a rotatably adjustable sleeve 8 for controlling the amount of primary air admitted to the interior of the pilot burner 4 throughv the air inlet ports 9. Gas is admitted to the pilot burner 4 through the gas supply nozzle 10.

The gas and air supplied to the interior of the pilot burner 4 through the ports 9 and the nozzle 10 are 'mixed Within the tubular portion of the burnerand discharged through the jet opening 11, preferably a V-shaped notch at the outer end of the pilot burner. The jet openingll is cut in the wallof the tubularmember constituting the pilot burner and is of relatively large size so as to prevent the closing thereof in-use' and allowing 'free'flow of gas. The inner end of the notchyll is provided with a'slot-like recesspl2 which extends therefrom to the closed end 6, as illustrated by'Fig. 2. The-notch 12 improves the operation of the pilot port: 11 and i helps prevent the accumulation of soot and the like which would tend to clog the pilot port.

This burner also has the advantage of not be-' ingeasily-. extinguished. The prevention of the clogging of the pilot port insures. a pilot flame of uniform heat intensity, which'is highly de sirable in accurately controlling the heat re- .sponsive element 13 which is disposed within the cylindrical casing 14 disposed directly above the pilot port 11 and carriedby the pilot on the 70.: burner by bracket 15. l V

As indicated by Fig. 4, the pilot flame 16 impinges upon the bottom surface of the casing 14 and heats it and the heat responsive element 13.

The heat responsive element 13 consists of a helical coil, one end 17 of which is flxed to the casing 14 and the other end 18 of which is connected to the rod or spindle 19 which extends outwardly through the switch panel 20. A collar 21 carrying a coiled spring 22 is secured to the 80.

outer end of spindle 19, as illustrated by Figs. 1 and 3. The free'end of spring 22 frictionally engages the clutch member 23 which is' rotatably carried by the spindle 19. An arm 24 fixed to clutch member 23 transmits rotary move- 85. ment therefrom to pivoted bracket 25 which carries the mercury switch 26. Recess 2'7 in the outer end of arm 24' coacts with the finger 28 of pivoted bracket 25 to limit the arcuate move ments of both the arm 24 and the pivoted' bracket 25. The slip frictional engagement between spring 22 and clutch member 23 is such that the turning of spindle vl9 rotates clutch member 23 through spring 22 until arm 24 and pivoted bracket 25 reach their travel limit, whereupon spring 22 slips within clutch member 23 and permits the spindle 19 to continue to rotate without affecting clutch member 23 or. switch 26.

The mercury switch 26 is connected to the loo electrically, operatedvalve 3 by insulated electrical conductors 29, and the arrangement is such that when the pilot flame 16 goes out,the heat responsive coil 13 cools, contracts, and

turns spindle 19 and clutch member 23 through .spring 22.

The turning of clutch member 23 elevates arm 24 which rotates pivoted'bracket 25 and switch 26 which occupies the position indicated bydotted lines in Fig. 3. Switch 26 thereupon closes gas supply valve 3 which shuts 1'10 off the supply of gas to both the main burner 1 and the pilot burner 4. The operation of the device is entirely automatic and prevents a leakage of gas through the pilot port 11 in case the latter goes out for any reason. So long as thermostatic element 13 is sufiiciently heated by pilot flame 16, the valve 3 remains open. Failure of the pilot flame, however, instantly and automatically sets the mechanism in operation to close the gas supply valve 3, as explained above.

The switch 26 is connected in series circuit relation with the source of power, the electric motor for opening the valve 3 and the control thermostat (not shown), so that the opening of switch 26 opens such circuit and prevents the control thermostat from operating the valve 3, the valve remaining closed so long as the switch 26 is open.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiments of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only'by the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a spindle, a collar secured to said-spindle for rotation therewith, an annular clutch member rotatably mounted on said spindle, a spring connected to said collar and frictionally engaging within said clutch member, a mercury switch, a pivotally mounted supporting bracket therefor provided with an arm, and an arm on said clutch member notched to receive the arm on said bracket whereby the movement of said clutch member is limited by the engagement of the bracket arm with the slot.

2. The combination with a spindle, a collar secured to said spindle for rotation therewith, anv annular clutch member rotatably mounted on said spindle and surrounding the same in spaced relation, an involute spring connected to said collar and frictionally engaging within said clutch member, a switch, and an operating connection for connecting said clutch member to said switch.

3. The combination with a spindle, an annular rotatable clutch member, a spring connected to said spindle and frictionally engaging said clutch member, a mercury switch, a pivotally mounted supporting bracket therefor provided with an arm, and an arm on said clutch member notched to receive the arm on said bracket whereby the movement of said clutch member is limited by the engagement of the arm with the slot.

4. The combination with a spindle, a rotatable clutch member provided with an arm having a. notch at its outer end, a coiled spring connected to said spindle and having friction engagement with said clutch member, a switch including a pivoted switch member having an arm engaged in the notch in said arm on said clutch whereby the movement of said clutch member is limited by the engagement of the arm with the slot.

THOMAS W. TORR. 

